Method and apparatus for producing two distinct settings from a single record strip on a record strip controlled type composing and casting machine



Nov. 9, 1954 2,693,874 TINGS P J. M MANuS ETAL METHOD AND APPARATO FROM A SINGLE RECO S FOR PRODUCING TWO. DISTINCT SET RD STRIP ON A RECORD STRIP CONTROLLED TYPE COMPOSING AND CASTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1952 Nov. 9, 1954 P. J. M MANUS ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING TWO DISTINCT SETTINGS FROM A SINGLE RECORD STRIP ON A RECORD STRIP CONTROLLED TYPE COMPOSING AND CASTING MACHINE United States Patent O Patrick Joseph McManus, Dublin, Eire, and Robert Alfred Jupp, Horley, England, assignors to The Monotype Corporation Limited, London, England, a British corporation Application August 5, 1952, Serial No. 302,756

Claims priority, application Great Britain May 1, 1952 6 Claims. (Cl. 199-69) This invention relates to the production on a record strip controlled individual-type casting and composing machine, of tWo distinct but related settings suitable for two-colour printing, and has for its chief object to provide an improved method of and apparatus for producing these settings, so that prints in the respective colours can be made direct from the composed type, and in a much more expeditious, more accurate and less costly manner than with the existing methods.

According to the method of the present invention these separate settings are produced under the control of a single record-strip on which the controlling signals for both settings are intermingled.

The apparatus by which the method is carried out comprises a device, controlled by a pilot signal in the record strip which acts upon a cut-off blade in the mould on the casting machine to produce during the first setting only blank-type spaces for matter relating to the second setting and during the second setting only blank-type spaces relating to the first setting.

The method in general use at present for producing type composition for two-colour printings on a recordstrip controlled individual type-casting and composing machine, is as follows; the entire composition is composed then two fiongs are made and these flongs are used as moulds in the production of two exactly similar stereotype plates. By the use of a hand operated routing implement or tool the heads or character-bearing portions of type bodies, pertaining to the second colour are removed from one stereotype plate. Then the heads orcharacter-bearing parts of type bodies relating to the first colour, are similarly removed from the other stereotype plate. The two stereotype plates, one now capable of printing the composition relating to the first colour, and the other now only capable of printing matter relating to the second colour, are registered in a printing press I and prints are taken in succession from these two plates to produce a combined print in two colours.

The work in removing the heads of the type bodies is a slow and laborious operation requiring high skill since it not infrequently happens that a descender or an ascender in one or other of the adjacent lines is broken or damaged and as this cannot be repaired a fresh fiong and stereotype plate have to be made and the entire routing redone. Furthermore, whatever care is taken the relative shrinkage between the two flongs and the two stereotype plates is unequal, resulting in the two compositions on the combined print being out of accurate alignment and register, thus producing poor quality print.

These disadvantages, difficulties and shortcomings are avoided by the present invention in accordance with which the two prints are made direct from the original typesetting.

The method according to the present invention, comprises the following steps: passing through an individualtype casting and composing machine, a controlling record strip in which signals for two distinct but related settings are intermingled: casting character-bearing type composition relating to the first setting, suppressing by a special or pilot signal component in the record-strip, the producing of character-bearing type bodies relating to the second setting, but producing blank type bodies each equal to the corresponding suppressed character: then passing the record-strip a second time through the composing machine, to produce character-bearing type relating to the second setting and suppressing under control of the special or pilot signal in the record strip, all characters pertaining to the first setting but producing a blank type body of width equal to that of each suppressed character.

This method is carried out on a record-strip controlled and individual type-casting and composing machine furnished with a type-mould have superimposed main and cut ofi blades which are independently mechanically opened together to dimension the casting cavity for character-bearing type bodies and relatively to one another so that for blank type bodies the upper end of the mould cavity is effected by the cut-off blade.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the mould controlling mechanism of the present invention in position on a record strip controlled type-casting and composing machine of known construction and sold under the registered trade-mark Monotype.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a double-acting air motor operated by a pilot signal in the record strip to effect'as required the operation of the cut-off blade of the type-mould and,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the mould having main and cut-01f blade; such mould being of well-known construction.

This mould A is furnished with a mould-dimensioning blade formed of a main blade A and a superimposed cut-off blade A These two blades in the existing machine are drawn back to the same extent by mechanical devices to dimension the mould-cavity a for all full height or character bearing type bodies and to admit molten metal to enter this cavity through an inlet a For the production of quads, blank or space type bodies, the main or lower blade A is drawn back mechanically and the upper blade A is pushed forward by mechanical means to close the upper part of the mould cavity and thereby a short blank-type body is produced.

In the existing machines, thisshortening of the mould cavity is used chiefly to produce justification or interword spaces.

For operating the cut-off mould blade A there are employed two actuators C, C which are pivoted at c, 0 respectively to a stationary support with their lower ends embracing one end of one actuating lever D for the cut oif blade A This actuating lever D is pivoted between its ends, to the back of the mould A and its other end enters an opening in the rear end of the blade A (see Fig. 3).

Pivotally mounted on an arm or lever E on the machine which is raised and lowered once in each cycle of the machines operation, is an interponent P which projects into the path of lugs C C respectively on the upper ends of the levers C, C The two actuators C, C are kept in contact with the lever D by a spring C The levers C, C and the interponent F are known in existing type-casting and composing machines wherein the interponent F is set by mechanical means to move the cut off blade A of the mould for the production of character bearing type and also low quads'or interword spaces.

In accordance with the present invention, the interponent F is set pneumatically by a pilot perforation in the record strip, to close the upper end of the mould during the first setting and prevent the casting of any character or characters pertaining to the second setting but producing blank-type bodies in place thereof, and during the second setting to produce character being type relating to the second setting and producing blank type bodies in place of characters pertaining to the first setting.

According to the present invention, this shortening of the mould cavity is controlled by a pilot signal on the record strip, acting through an air motor on the cut off blade to close the upper end of the mould as required and the air supplied through the pilot signal actson piston B situated in a cylinder B of the air motor. This cylinder has an air admission port B at one end and at theother an air admission port B In the air supply conduit B leading to the cylinder B there is arranged a hand rotatable switch valve B which in one position allows air to pass from the inlet B to the conduit B at one end of the cylinder B and in another allows air to pass from the inlet B to the conduit B at the other end of the cylinder. In a third position the valve 8* cuts oil air from both conduits B B This pneumatic control of the cut-off blade A? does not interfere with the existing mechanical operation of the cut-off blade for the production of low quads or interword spaces.

For operating the cut-ofi blade A for the purposes of this invention there is pivotally mounted on the cylinder B at g a diamond-shaped selector G WhlCh is coupled byaa pin G to the piston B and so arranged that it projects into the path of movement of the interponent F when the latter is raised by the lever E.

In operation, each character or symbol signal on the record strip pertaining to matter belonging to the second-setting is accompanied by the pilot signal, I

when presented at an air-port in the existing air-distributing bar, over which the record-strip passed. This pilot signal admits air to the inlet port B of the cylinder B and travels by the conduit B to the left hand end of the cylinder, as shown in Figure 2 and drives the piston B to the right carrying the selector G also to the right from the position indicated in Figure 2.

In the continued cycle of operation, when the lever E rises, the interponent F will bear against the lefthand side of the selector G and thereby be moved to the left from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In this new position, the interponent will be over the upper end of the lug C of the lever C (see Figure 1). When the lever E again descends the interponent, bearing on the lug C will turn the lever C on its pivot then the lever D coupled to the cut-off blade A of the mould will push this blade A inwards to close the upper end of the mould cavity a and prevent a cast being made from any matrix X which for the time being is centred above the mould.

The movement of the selector G under the influence of air entering through the conduit B is elfected against the action of a controlling spring G one end of which is coupled to a pin g on the cylinder casing, the other end being coupled to a pin g on an arm fixed to the pivot pin g of the selector G.

Thus when a character-denoting signal unaccompanied by the pilot signal is presented by the record strip at the air distributing bar the spring G moves the selector G back to the position indicated in Figure 2 and when the lever E and interponent F rise, the latter is moved to the position shown in Figure 2. Thus on the subsequent descent of the lever E, the interponent F engages the lug C on the lever C and moves the mould lever D to withdraw the cut-off blade A and open the upper end of the mould to the same extent as it is opened by the main and mould blade A This process is continued throughout the entire first setting, the upper end of the mould being closed under direction of the pilot signal for all characters or symbols relating to the matter of the second setting and opened for all characters relating to the first setting.

The first setting having been completed the mechanism must be reset for the second setting.

For this second setting the valve 3 is turned to admit the air from the pilot signal to pass from the inlet port B through the inlet B to the right hand end of the cylinder B and one end of the spring is uncoupled from the pin g and connected to the pin g on the cylinder casing.

With this arrangement, when the same pilot signal accompanies any character or symbol signal at the air distributing bar, the air from the pilot signal enters the cylinder B through the port B and moves the piston B and the selector C to the positions indicated in Figure 2. The selector F in rising will then engage the right-hand side of the selector G and when it is moved down by the lever E will engage the lug C of the lever C (see Figure l) and operate the mould blade lever D to open the upper end of the mould to the same extent as it is opened by the main mould blade A Thus each character or symbol releating to the second setting will be cast. On the other hand when a signal for a character or symbol relating to the first setting is presented by the record-strip and not accom- 4 panied by the pilot signal, then the spring G will move the selector G to the right so that the interponent F in rising will be moved to the left and on descending during the cycle of operation will move the lever C to operate the mould blade lever to close the upper end of the mould cavity and thus produce blank type-bodies for all bodies relating to the first setting.

What we claim is:

l. A method of producing on a record-strip controlled typographic-composing machine, two distinct but related settings of justified lines of composition under control of a single record-strip in which the controlling signals for both settings are intermingled and including pilot signals to difierentiate the two settings, which comprises the following steps; passing the controlling record-strip through the composing machine and forming alternatively under control of the pilot signals corresponding to the first setting character-bearing type bodies relating to the first setting and blank type bodies for characters relating to the second setting, each blank being equal in Width to that of the corresponding suppressed character, and passing the record-strip another time through the composing machine and forming alternatively under control of the pilot signals corresponding to the second setting character bearing type bodies relating to the second setting and blank typebodies for characters relating to the first setting, each blank being equal in Width to that of the corresponding suppressed character.

2. A method of producing on a record strip controlled individual type-casting and composing machine two distinct but related settings of justified lines of composition under control of a single record strip in which the matrix selecting and mould dimensioning signals for both settings are intermingled and including pilot signals to differentiate the two settings: which comprises the following steps: passing the record strip through the machine, forming character-bearing type for matter relating to the first setting, controlling by the appropriate pilot" signal in the record strip the operation of an upper or cut-off member of a two part mould dimensioning blade to produce spaces or blank type bodies instead of printing type for characters or matter pertaining to the second setting: then passing the record strip a second time through the composing machine and controlling the operation of the upper or cut-off member of the two part mould dimensioning blade by the appropriate pilot signal in the record strip and forming character-bearing type bodies for all matter relating to the second setting and blank type bodies, each equal in width to the suppressed character, for characters pertaining to the first setting. 3. In a record-strip controlled individual type casting and composing machine furnished with a mould having a main and a cut-off blade, the combination of a pair of actuating levers arranged to act on an operating lever for the cut oil blade, an adjustable interpo nent operative upon either actuating lever, a reversible air motor controlled by a pilot perforation in the record strip when accompanied by any character-designating and dimensioning signal and mechanism for reversing the action of the motor to produce in one setting blank type-bodies in the mould in place of characters designated by the record strip and in another setting to produce such characters as were blanked in the first setting and produce blanks in place of characters that were produced with the first setting.

4. In a record-strip controlled individual type-casting and composing machine, furnished with a mould having a main and a cut-off mould dimensioning blade, the combination with the cut-off blade of an air-motor actuated by a pilot signal in the record-strip to operate the cut-off blade to close the upper end of the mould cavity when the pilot signal accompanies a character positioning and designating signal in the record strip, and a hand operated switch valve which reverses the action of the motor to open the upper end of the mould when the pilot signal accompanies a character positioning and designating signal in the record-strip.

5. A method of producing, on a record-strip controlled individual type-casting and composing machine having a cut-off blade to close the upper end of a casting mould so that a blank type-body is cast and in which the blade is operated by a switch device, two distinct but related settings of justified lines of type-bodies under control of a single record-strip in which the pilot signals to differentiate the two settings, the mould-dimensioning controlling signals and the matrix-positioning controlling signals for both settings are intermingled, which method comprises the following steps: passing the controlling record-strip through the casting and composing machine, producing therefrom character-bearing type-bodies relating to a first setting, and, by the appropriate pilot signal in the record-strip, operating the cut-off blade to close the upper end of the mould and producing therefrom blank type-bodies for characters relating to the second setting, each blank being equal in width to that of the corresponding suppressed character, then passing the record-strip a second time through the composing machine producing therefrom character-bearing type-bodies relating to the second setting, and, by the appropriate "pilot signal in the record-strip, operating the cut-off blade to close the upper end of the mould and producing therefrom blank type-bodies for characters relating to the first setting, each blank being equal in width to that of the corresponding suppressed character.

6. A method of producing, on a record-strip controlled individual type-casting and composing machine having a cut-off blade to close the upper end of a casting mould so that a blank type-body is cast and in which the blade is operated by a switch device, two distinct but related sets of justified lines of type-bodies under control of a single record-strip in which the pilot" signals to differentiate the two settings, the matrix-selecting and the mould-dimensioning controlling signals for both settings are intermingled, which method comprises the following steps: passing the record-strip through the casting machine to operate the main and cut-off blades together, producing therefrom ,character-bearing type for matter relating to the first setting, controlling said step by the appropriate pilot signal in the record-strip acting on a switch device to move the upper or cut-ofi mould blade to produce short spaces or blank type-bodies instead of printing type for characters or matter pertaining to the second setting, then passing the record-strip a second time through the casting machine and controlling the operation of the upper or cut-off blade by the appropriate pilot signal acting through the switch device to produce character-bearing type-bodies for matter relating to the second setting and blank type bodies, each equal in width to the suppressed character, for characters pertaining to the first setting.

No references cited. 

